Sleep in a timely manner...? I can rarely sleep earlier than 2AM under normal circumstances, but when I do I rarely get cut outta my sleep.
...but I think as I try to sleep - thinking actually keep me alive, and I don't mind doing that, but that's just me.
Also, may I suggest getting something to listen to? I alter between my entire playlist (of sleeping music, of course) and single tracks that goes end on end (of course, one at a time) as I feel like it...Just make sure that they are the things you like and you'll be either lulled, soothed, or even bored to sleep...I can even sleep to louder music, but maybe I'm just conditioned for that...
And about the "get something to hug" advice, that really works. I remember hugging my M1 Carbine on one occasion...but I always have something to hug, so...yeah. Heck, lately I hug my big math textbook in math class (A/C'd room is cold) and I have this tendency to get KO'd on the spot...
Don't do (or cut down) anything interesting prior to bed time - getting hooked on something like a VN on motion may drag you and on and on, with your eyes wide open...